The 4th Annual Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA Invitational Journalism-Work/Family Conference will be held May 12-13, 2005 at the Embassy Suites Hotel at Logan Airport in Boston. Conference.

New Book

The result of many years of work and research is now being realized as CFWP's Executive Director, Rosalind Barnett, and Boston University Professor of Journalism, Caryl Rivers, have now published their latest book. Titled "Same Difference: How Gender Myths are Hurting Our Relationships, Our Children, and Our Jobs" (Perseus Books), the book has received much praise. Written in a reader-friendly style, it argues that currently popular notions of profound and immutable gender differences lead us to make poor life choices that limit our potential and have serious negative consequences for ourselves and for the others in our lives. Relying on substantial social science research, they make the case that the similarities between the sexes dwarf the differences and that there is more variability within gender than there is difference between the genders. There is, therefore, no credible justification for sweeping generalizations claiming that men are one thing and women, another. They argue further that seeing the world largely through the lens of gender blinds us to critical factors such as power and class that explain far more of our behavior than does gender.

Our latest parental after-school stress findings! Find out why working parents of school-age children are stressed and how that stress affects their work. Contact Donna Ellis, ellis@brandeis.edu for a copy of this report.

Grant Awarded

CFWP was awarded a new grant to study how working parents and grandparents of school-age children in Waltham, MA coordinate their own work schedules with their children's or grandchildren's school, after-school, and transportation schedules. Grant was awarded January 1, 2004 by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. View press release.

The Community, Families & Work Program (CFWP) in the Women's Studies Research Center (WSRC) at Brandeis University conducts methodologically innovative, policy-oriented research to enhance family well-being. CFWP actively engages with the media and policy makers to bring our findings to the attention of those who will most benefit from them.

The CFW Program was funded by a grant from the State Street Foundation.